Johann-gsosg stein



METHOD OF RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS Filed Jan. 3,A 1951 Patented lidar, 3, 19?2 PATENT ortica METHOD 0F RAISING SUNKEN SHIPS Applcationled January 3, 1931, Serial No. 506,448, and in Germany January 4, 1930.

y The salvage of sunken ships has so far been effected in such a manner, that the sunken ship was raised step'by step by a certainAV amount with the aid of hoisting devices or salvage vessels equal to the lift required to raise the sunken ship when pumping out water ballast therefrom. In many cases the sunken ship will be tight except at the point where it. sprung a leak and it will, therefore, be possible,after previously closing up the leak to expel the water from the ship by in? troducing compressed air or by pumping the water out of the hull. rEhis method, however, requires the parts adjoining the leak to be comparatively smooth and tight or, in other words, that the outer planking or plating at this point be in comparatively good condition. will, furthermore, be necessarv that at the oint from where the shi is to be raised, there is no current or, at least,

VVno current worth lspeaking of, so as to ren! Y der it possible for the divers to properly attach the tightening medium to the point,

7 where the leak is situated and to securely iiX it to the hull about the leak. ln connection therewith, very considerable diiiiculties will be encountered in trying to so lit this tight? ening` medium against the hull below the sea level as to propely close up the leak.

The method in accordance with the present' invention renders it possible, on the one hand, to raise a sunken ship also in that case, in which the ship has been damaged by break` ing in different points whilst sinking. rlhe method on the other hand, renders it possible to tighten or close up a leak even if the surrounding parts of the leak are not particularly smooth and if there is a current atV the point where the ship is located.

tional view of the lower end of the same conduit with an additional auxiliary device associated therewith.

Fig. l a plan view of the leak of a ship on a somewhat enlarged scale,

5 a cross section through Fig. t along the line V-V of Figure 4.

The method of raising sunken ships in accordance with the present invention essentfally consists therein, that in or along the ship ice is artiiicially produced for the pur pose of acting as a carrier or closing medium. in 'l the outside planking or plating is indicated by l, whilst 2 and 3 represent the cargo holds, Lland 5 the hatches appertaining thereto. Numeral 7 represents a conduit connecting the salvage vessel with the interior of the cargo holds 2, 3. ln connection herewith the Weight of the conduit is taken up or neutralized in a corresponding manner by means of buoys 8. In accordance with the present invention air, together with foam formino' agents, as used, for the sake of eX- ample, in conjunction with the foam extinguishing process, is forced through this conduit into the water contained in the cargo hold, causing there the formation of foam in a corresponding manner. Subsequently liquid air is conveyed through the conduit into the cargo hold, thereby causing the water in the hold to freeze. rEhe method may also be' carried out in such a manner, that simultaneously with the introduction of liquid air, air and foam forming agents are forced into the water in the holds through another conduit, for the purpose of intensifying the formation of foam to thegreatest possible extent. ln this manner porous ice is gradually produced within the cargo holds which.,

it is being produced, displaces part of theV VWater from the lnterlor of the ships hull.

To this end the hatches are appropriately loosened by the diver, so that it will be possible for the ice to expand without causing the iull to burst. vOwing to the fact that the ice ris porous, the danger of bursting of the hull has been rendered remote.

As conduits 7 single sections of tube headers 9 enveloped in a protective jacket l0 are preferably employed. The space between Y of the ship In order to obviate the end 11 of the conduit 7, being enclosed by ice, freezing thereto, the endll may be provided With an electric resistance 12 to vvhich is conducted an electric current by means of an l appropriately armoured cable 13, thus heating the endllandthereby rendering a-separation of the saine fromtlie ice possible. The outer point ofthe inalsection tube headmexfiihenflowefrlg Sam@ down i1-P011 the an excess pressure insaid piping.

ina-leak in the outside planking or plating of a ship is indicatedat a, such/as may jhe caused by a collision, by the eXplosion of, ajmiiieV or thelike;v VVitlithea-id of theinethod in accordance With the present in- ,.Yvention it will be possible to produce a block oigicelatthelealgas indicated at 1 5 in theL linteriorI of` the shi-p or ,at 16 lon the outside lofthe ship. The production of sucha block :ef-ice'Will-,only thenfbe possible in conjunctionivitii f the method according to they presyen teinv eiitioin*if there is no currentrat this' point 1t. will be especiallyappropriate, pary @tciilerlvn upL the leak inthe {ir-st instance by means of @a 'kind e-casing'-V 17 withinvvhich a blockV ,eice 18,. is` subsequently produced by means if thereis some current, to cover .p ofthe iiiethoil' in accordancel With the presfentinvention "lihis embodies the great adqg-vantagethat the tightening cushions are not Y .iequired,as theyformerly Were, to be made in onelpieceand to bejsubsequently placed in Suehgsinallsections maybe placed inV their gi-.properrpcsition `below the sea level with muchl trgreateiyease 1 and. their employment Will for` -thatreason Vloe possible, because a special tightening of theseparate sections againstv ...eachotherlyvill not be necessary' owing to the Afachthat',the -,tightening upy of the leak is eiected-by the block of ice Within the casing.

1. Method of raising sunken ing in-displacing the Water contained in the lishipsh l-by theartiiiicial vformation of ice .Y zifendfoani-and reducing by increasing thebuoyancy. ,-2. )Method of raising sunkenships, consistmisure ships, 'consistthevveight ofthe ship 3. Method of raising sunken ships, consisting in producing artificial7 very porousice with the simultaneous formation of foam Vclose to a leak in the outside plating of a ship and pumping the Water out of the ship after closing up the leak.

4. lvlethod-o-raising sunken ships,consist Y., ing in covering a leakV inthe outside. plating of aship by an externally provided cover, producing on the inside of the cover artificial,

filer-y porous ice with thesimultaneous formation offfoain and pumping the Water out of "the-ship'aift'er tightly closing up the leak.

1 er issuitably ittedvvith a closingyvalve v.or a closing Vflap libeing of a spring actionftype Y; hich ordinarilygcloses upzthe interior oi? the H5. Method of raising sunken ships, consisting in producing artificial, very porous ice Wreck and only opens for the purpose of dis- `vveharging-theair zor liquid ya ir,'.vvheifi there is in the outside platingoi' l6.*Methodotraising sunken ships, Aconsisting-in coverings leak theoiitside plating ofa--shipiby an externally provided cover,

recencies @I1-themed@ @f @l1-eswc? artificiel,

bien.;

ship

V7. fMethod offraisingsunken ships,consist ing in'coveringfa `leak in the outside plating .of a Aship i .hy,an externally provided cover,

producingy on the inside of the cover artiiicial,

veryporous ice `While forming ioain yand `pumping-the vWaterout VKof the ship after tightly closing upthe leak. Y

' 1.8. I Method of raising Vsunken ships, consist-- ir in coveljing a leak in ytheoiitside plating of 'j' `asship .by an externally f provided, bon-like lcover,producing on the inside ofV the cover v artiiciah verylporous ice mixed-With air While Y :form-ingioam and pumping the-Water out of n theiship-ater tightly closing up the leak.

In testimony whereof l haveal'lfiged my sigi yJoiiiiiviv-f.Griso Re STEIN.

- fiiigjin introducing into the -ships l hull air,- j

means for producing foam, and liquid; air for thepurpose lof ,producing-Within the-*ship ice 

